Japanese Ambassador Iwama Kiminori hopes that Bangladesh would play a vital role in materialising its new Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) vision announced by Prime Minister Kishida Fumio on March 20 this year.

Iwama and his wife hosted a reception at Chittagong Club Sunday to strengthen relations with Chattogram communities following a goodwill port visit by JS URAGA (Mine Sweeper Tender) and JS AWAJI (Mine Sweeper Ocean) units of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, the country's navy.

Rear Admiral Abdullah Al Mamun Chowdhury, commander of Chattogram Naval Area, Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, commander of Bangladesh Navy Fleet, Mahbubul Alam, president of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Captain Nakai Eiichi, commander of Minesweeper Division One, were present.

The visit is an example of practical cooperation between Japan and Bangladesh to realise the FOIP for ensuring a rules-based international order to bring stability and prosperity for every country as well as to secure peace and prosperity in the region, Ambassador Kiminori said.

In the new plan, four pillars of cooperation for the FOIP were launched – "principles for peace and rules for prosperity," "addressing challenges in an Indo-Pacific way," "multi-layered connectivity," and "extending efforts for security and safe use of the sea to the air."

Japan focuses on the "development of an industrial value chain connecting the Bay of Bengal and northeastern India" as a concrete example of multi-layered connectivity, the envoy said.

Also, he emphasised strengthening connectivity in the Bay of Bengal region, including Chattogram, and called the port visit the fourth pillar of practical cooperation for realising the FOIP.

Bangladesh and Japan started a new voyage towards the next 50 years of bilateral ties this year following celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations last year, said the ambassador.